ADS
Greek stuffed veggies, called “Gemista,” are loaded with rice, oregano, onion, and garlic in a rich tomato sauce. I roast potatoes in this easy gemista recipe for a gluten-free, vegetarian (or vegan) entrée. Hearty yet healthful, cozy but not heavy, and fulfilling!
Gemista (Yemista) means “stuffed” in Greek. Classic Greek recipes include fresh vegetables packed with a fragrant rice mixture and cooked till soft and flavorful.
Bread bowls and ice cream cones have taught us that eating the bowl is incredibly pleasurable! Our healthy Mediterranean variation is stuffed vegetables, which we adore in almost every kind. Gemista dishes range from Middle Eastern Stuffed Zucchini to Stuffed Grape Leaves (Dolmas) and more.
I wanted the heartiness of ground beef gemista but the lightness of vegan variants commonly served as sides (like these stuffed onions) for this Greek-style dish. I chose this easy one-pan meal with aromatic oregano, a lot of garlic, fresh herbs, creamy feta cheese (optional), and basmati rice to soak up the flavor.
The meal is filling enough to serve as a main course or as a side dish to your favorite protein. This gemista dish is straightforward and weeknight-friendly if you can spend an hour and a half in the oven. It enhances your rotation!
Gemista Greek filled vegetables: bell peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, rice, yellow onion, garlic cloves, parsley, mint, oregano, paprika, feta, olive oil, crushed tomatoes, salt, and ground pepper.
Ingredients for Greek Stuffed Vegetables
This gemista recipe uses Mediterranean pantry staples (most of which you can get in our store) with fresh, in-season veggies to make a cheap, easy meal. You need:
Bell peppers: Yellow and red are sweeter, while green and purple are earthier and vegetal.
Beefsteak tomatoes are huge, ripe, and firm.
Yukon gold potatoes roast wonderfully and taste buttery, but other potatoes (even half baby potatoes) work.
Their signature sweet and savory taste comes from yellow onion and garlic. White or red onions work too.
Fresh herbs: I favor parsley and mint, but dill or basil might work too. Fresh herbs lift richness, thus dried herbs are not a good alternative. See our guide on storing fresh herbs for more information.
Feta is optional, but I like its creamy taste. Without the cheese, this recipe is vegan/dairy-free and wonderful.
Pantry: Rice: Provides bulk and absorbs flavor. I like basmati rice for its fragrance, but you may try different grains.
Seasoning: Dried oregano gives a Greek-style scent and taste.
Paprika adds a moderate kick and brightness (I use sweet since smoked is too strong).
To avoid sticking, enhance the filling, and give the veggies golden edges, extra virgin olive oil is used throughout. A high-quality extra virgin variety (I use Greek for this recipe)
Kosher salt and black pepper enhance tastes.
Tomato sauce is made in minutes using crushed tomatoes. Use any can leftovers to make Eggplant Caponata or Mediterranean-Style Okra (Bamya). You just need one cup.
Close-up of stuffed yellow pepper with potato wedges on two plates.
Ingredient Focus: Seasoning
I immediately think of dried oregano for Greek taste. Dry oregano adds a Mediterranean-style flavor to everything from Greek Chicken to Crispy Calamari. Fresh oregano is wonderful but mild.
Oregano is essential for Greek feasts! Like practically anything else, quality varies widely. A sprinkle of fresh-dried oregano makes a big difference in flavor—it takes you to Athens.
TRY IT: Pick the leaves from our Greek Oregano Bunch on the vine or add a pinch of our Dried and Rubbed.
Close-up of stuffed tomato with potato wedges on two plates. Another helping of gemista and potatoes on two plates, two glasses of water with lemon wedges, and a napkin follow.
Making Greek Gemista
Despite being a one-pan recipe, stuffed veggies make a weekday supper elegant. Here are the steps:
Heat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9×13 or bigger baking dish with high sides.
Prepare bell peppers. Cut 4 bell pepper and tomato tops 1/2-inch below the stem. Reserve the toppers. Place the peppers cut-side up on the baking dish after removing and discarding the seeds.
Prepare tomatoes. Cut the tops of 4 big tomatoes 1/2-inch below the stem. Reserve the toppers. Trace the tomato’s cell-to-fruit edges with a tiny paring knife. The inside flesh will relax and separate. Carefully scoop inside into a medium mixing basin with a spoon, leaving the “bowl” intact. Chunk the bigger meat pieces and return them to the dish. Insert the hollowed-out tomatoes into the baking dish with the peppers. Place potato wedges between bell peppers and tomatoes. The bell peppers and tomato half hollowed out on a backing dish with unbaked potato wedges are seen above.
Prepare rice filling. In the dish containing the tomato flesh, add 3/4 cup uncooked and rinsed basmati rice, 1 chopped onion, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and 1/2 cup crumbled feta. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup chopped fresh mint, parsley, dried oregano, paprika, and a touch of salt and pepper. Mix.
Stuff tomatoes with peppers. The rice will expand as it cooks, so fill the hollowed veggies 3/4 full with rice filling.An overhead close-up of rice-stuffed bell peppers and tomato halves on a backdrop dish with unbaked potato wedges.
Baking and Serving
Add sauce. Place the pepper and tomato tops on the veggies as lids. Spread 1 cup crushed tomatoes over veggies and add 1/2 cup water. Apply 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon dry oregano, and a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper. Spread olive oil over veggies. Uncooked gemista greek stuffed veggies with potato wedges from above.
Bake. Wrap the baking dish in foil and bake on the middle rack for 1 hour. Uncover and bake for 30 minutes longer to properly cook the rice stuffing and soften and sear the veggies. Gemista Greek stuffed vegetables with potato wedges close-up.
Greek Stuffed Vegetables: What to Serve
With a fresh Greek Salad (Horiatiki) to start, this vegetarian gemista meal may feed 6 people. It goes well with basic Greek-style proteins too.
Make Roasted Branzino or pack the vegetables and bake them while grilling Chicken Souvlaki. (Cook both at 375°F and add the fish in the last 10 minutes. Remove the veggies and broil the fish.
